Page 108 of The Accidental Text

“What can I do?” I ask.

“You could … talk to him?” She tilts her head to the side, giving me her best sardonic glare.

“I could,” I say. “But what do I say?”

She doubles down on the glare. This time with a touch of annoyance. “I don’t know, maybe tell him your feelings?”

I pull my face back. “I did that, remember? I got shot down. Why would I want to do that again?”

“He’s clearly telling you all this for a reason.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “He’s just showing me that I was right about him avoiding his feelings. That’s all. It’s not like he was declaring his love for me or anything.”

“That’s true,” she says, swirling her soup with her spoon.

“He’s leaving for London tomorrow anyway.”

“Also true,” she says. “I’m sure you’ll hear from him again, though.”

“I’m sure,” I say.

“And maybe when he gets back …”

I wave her insinuating words away. “I can’t think like that, Han. I’ll make myself crazy if I do. Too many what-ifs.”

“I guess,” she says. “I just hate seeing you like this.”

I give her a sad smile. “Me too.”

Chapter 32

“Who are you texting?”

I look up to see Chelsea standing in front of me, a paper cup of coffee in her hand, wearing her white jumpsuit. The one with the black-and-pink detailing.

I chuckle to myself. So many familiar things with this scene. I’m sitting on the same bench, tasked once again with watching our rigs, in the same hangar, in the same jumpsuit I was wearing three months ago. And my sister is, like last time, snooping.

But I’m a different person than I was three months ago when I was here last. I feel it. I’m … stronger. Not as strong as I need to be, but I’m definitely better in that area. I’m also not trying to hide anything anymore.

I hold up my phone so she can see it. “Hannah,” I say.

Chelsea glances at my phone and then back at me. “What are you telling her?”

“That I’m still not feeling this,” I say, giving Chelsea a sad smile.

She sags her upper body. “Again?”

“Yes,” I say holding out a hand. “But this time, I’m not going to try to stop it. I’m doing this.”

Chelsea takes a big breath. “Good, because I was going to throttle you.”

I’d had a small hope that the weather would be my savinggrace, but the sky is clear and the wind is perfect. It’s like all the stars are aligning. If only I could get myself to align. I just want to feel happy about this. I want to feel good.

Chelsea sits next to me and puts an arm around me. “Love you,” she says.

“I love you too.”

“Fifteen minutes. We need to go queue up,” my dad says as he approaches us. He sits down on the other side of me. “You ready for this, Magpie?”

---